Adjustable finger bar for shear machines



May 5, 93@ s, @mzzl l 2?@399599 ADJUSTABLE FINGER BAR FOR SHEAR MACHINES Filed OCt.- ll, 1934 Sa/Z@ We zlzz INVENTORT Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES ADJUSTABLE FINGER BAR. FOR SHEAR MACHINES Salvatore Biazzi, San one-half to August Calif.

Jose, Calif., assignor of E. Azzarello, San Jose,

Application October 11, 1934, Serial No. 747,950

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of metal working and pertains particularly to an improved mechanism for feeding sheet metal to a shear machine.

In the operation of a scroll metal shear machine, sheets of metal are fed continuously for a predetermined distance toward a cutting die and the metal is then taken up by reciprocating fingers and moved in a series of steps toward and beneath the die, the first step locating the metal upon the die table fo-r squaring up, the second step moving the`metal into position for a trim cut by the die, and the next succeeding steps moving the metal a predetermined distance each time for a strip of metal of predetermined size to be cut by the die. In the machines of the type at present in use, all of the finger members which give the step by step movement to the sheet of metal move as a unit and since it is necessary that the sheet metal be moved a greater distance at each step following the first two steps, the fingers which impart the rst two step movements to the metal must move a relatively great distance back of the trailing edge of the metal sheet with the result that as they come forward, they strike the sheet with such force that the edge is bent or curved and each succeeding time that a finger hits this edge a little more bend is given thereto, with the result that the pieces or strips cut by the die after the trim cut are not all of one size as they should be. This results in a waste of material.

'Ihe primary object of the present invention is to avoid the disadvantages now present in metal shearing machines, as above outlined, by providing a finger mechanism whereby the fingers which impart the rst two movements to the sheet metal, while being reciprocated by the same mechanism which operates the other ngers, are adapted to have movement relative to the said other fingers and are so controlled that they need only move back far enough to engage the rear redge o f the sheet metal so that in their forward movements, the said edge will not be hit with sufcien't force to bend the metal.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the above described character which may be added to the present metal shearing machine Without making any material changes in the same.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying ldrawing forming part of this speciiication, with the understanding, however, Vthat the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the api pended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation of a portion of the sheet metal table of a shear machine, a part of which is broken away to show a portion of the present structure and the mechanism embodying the new structure which constitutes the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the portion of the sheet metal table shown in Figure 1, the center part of which has been broken away.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in top plan of the sheet metal engaging finger which is shown in side elevation in Figure 4.

Referring tothe drawing, the numeral I indicates generally the frame or sheet metal table of a shear machine as now manufactured, which table is provided with the spaced parallel channels 2, which are disposed at the sides of the table, each of these channels at its rear end extending completely through the table through a portion of the length of the channel to form a slot 2', as is clearly illustrated in Figures l and 2.

The bottom of each of the channels is indicated by the numeral 3, lthese bottoms constituting a bearing surface for a reciprocating bar 4 which at its rear end is formed to provide the downwardly extending terminus 4. Each of these bars 4 has extending longitudinally there- ,of and in its upper surface, the T-slot 4 which receives, in the machines at present in use, an appropriately. formed portion of an adjustably secured finger 4.

These lingers 4 operate, with others which are removed for the application of the present invention as will be hereinafter described, to engage a body of sheet metal which is carried onto the table l by conveyor chains, not illustrated, and carry it forward to the die portion ofthe machine.

vThe reciprocation of the finger carrying bars 4 is effected by means of connecting rods 5, each of which is pivotally coupled at one end, as indicated at 6, with the depending portion 4 of a bar 4, and at its other end is pivotally connected, as indicated at l', with the upper end of a crank Yas is clearly shown in Figure 3, and the bottom ones of these lateral flanges and a portion of the web part of the bar are slidably disposed in a T- slot 4, of a bar 4.

bar 4, vas shown in Figure 3, for the purpose hereinafter to be set forth.

At the rear end of each auxiliary bar I0 isa depending web I3 which has pivotally connected therewith, as at I4, an end of a connecting rod I5,

the other end of which passes through a swivel block I6 Vcarried by an auxiliaryY rocker arm I1 which is secured to and vertically supported by the shaft I9 Lwhich-extends transversely of the machine and is supported in rocker bearings 20.

The end of the rod I5 which passes through the swivelnblock I 6 is threaded and receives thereon lock nuts I6 which are placed upon either side Y of the block I6 so that the proper adjustment of Vthe throw of the arm thus changed the rod |5 may be made relative to the rocker arm I1.

The rocker arm I1 is coupled with the arm 8 by means of the coupling rodV 2|, the rod being tpivotally connected at one end, as at 22, with the intermediate portion of the arm 8 while at its other' end, it carries a bolt or pin I8 which is secured in a slot 3| in and extending longitudi- V nally of the arm II. Y By means of this slot, the Y end of the rod 2| which is joined to the arm l1,

may be shifted longitudinally Vof this arm and as found necessary.

The numerals and I2 indicate the sheet -metal engagingl fingers which are adjustably secured on the auxiliary finger bars I0. These fingers and I2 are the first two fingers upon .the standard finger bar 4, one of which on each Vbar 4 engageslthe sheet metal to move it into position to be squared up while the other engages the metal to Vmove it into position for the trim cut. Y These are transferred from the standard Y bars 4 to the auxiliary bars I0 and as shown, they -are carried upon blocks 23 and 24 (Fig. 2), each Yof which blocks has upon its outer side the later- Yally projecting fianger25'. Y

A pivot screw 26 joins the finger to the side of theblock adjacent the flange 25 so that the rear end of the finger will abut this fiange when the forward end is raised in the `manner illustrated in Figure 4, and the under side of each block is provided with a T-slot for the reception of the top of a finger bar I0, as illustrated in Y Figure 3.

A spring 29 is mounted upon each flange 25 adjacent its forward endv and beneath the forward end ofthe nger adjacent thereto, so that `it will abut the `under side of the finger and nor- `mally urge it to the raised position in which it is Yshown in Figure 4, the forward or raised end of veach finger-being under cut or notched, as indicated by the numeral 30, for its secure engage- Yment over Vthe edge of a sheetof metal.

This notched portion 3U Awhen the finger isY raised,

projectsY a sufficient distance above thetop vsur- The top flanged portion of each auxiliary bar I0 projects above its carrier face of the table I to engage the sheets of metal thereon.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that heretofore when all of the fingers were carried upon'the bar 4, the two ngers nearest the rear end of the bar 4 were required to move arelatively great distance back of the edge of the sheet metal with which they had toV engage, because of the fact that the next suc- Y ceeding fingers were required to move the sheet metal a materially greater distance than thel first two fingers, and this required that the throw of the'arm 8 and the movement of the bar 4 be great enough to take care of the greatest movement which had to be imparted to the sheet of metal. The first two fingers only moved the Vmetalra short distance for the purpose, as previously stated, of first positioning the metal for squaring up and second, for positioning the metal for a trimming cut. As a result of the higher speed than fingers and I2 Vof'this invention, which the two rear fingers had to have prior'to engaging the edge of the sheet metal so that their movement of the metal would not be very great, they struck` the metal with considerable force and this resultedinthe bending of Vthe same.

With theV present mechanism, the Vmovement of the auxiliary finger bars I0 is relative to the movement of the bars 4 although they are joined together and they both move at the same time and under the influence of the same actuating arms. It will be readily apparent that the throw -of the rods 5 will be greater than that of the rods 2| and, therefore, thengers 4 can continue to have the full sweep necessary Vto move the sheetsV the required distance after the same have been shifted forward by the first two sets of fingers and the first two sets of fingers need only moveV far enough back to permit them to rise up under the influence of the springs 29 directly behind and in relatively close proximity to the rear edges of the sheets of metal. As their movement relative to the edge of the'metal sheets need not be greater than the movement of the fingers 4 relative to the rear edges of the sheets, it will be apparent that they will not strike the metal with any considerable amount of force and, therefore, the bending of the metal will not occur.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that since the sheets of metal lie flat uponthe table I, the fingers 4', and I2V will be de- .pressed through contact with the underv side of the sheet andwill snap up behind the rear edge vof the same after they have passed it.

It will also be apparent that while fixed adjustments of the bars I0 may be made by loosening the lock nuts I6' and shifting the rod I5 through the swivel block I6, the auxiliaryV nger bars ID may also be further finely adjustedL "carried by theY auxiliary bar for engagingja body on the table, a second rocking lever, arlink connection between the second lever and Ythe auxiliary bar, and a link bar coupling thesaid levers and connected with the first lever at a point nearer its center of oscillation than the coupling bar whereby the rst mentioned bar will have a greater throw than the auxiliary bar.

2. In a machine of the character described, having a table, a finger carrying bar mounted for longitudinal reciprocation relative to the table, a rocking power transmitting lever and a coupling bar between the lever and the finger bar; an auxiliary bar mounted for longitudinal reciprocation relative to the table and parallel with the iirst bar, a second rocking lever, a link bar coupling the rocking levers together, a coupling between the second rocking lever and the auxiliary bar, and means for shifting the point of connection between one end of the link bar and the adjacent rocking lever whereby relative movement between the inger carrying bars may be controlled.

3. In a machine of the character described, including a table, 'a bar mounted for longitudinal reciprocation relative to the table, fingers carried by the bar for engaging a body on the table and mechanism for reciprocating said bar; an auxiliary bar mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement in a path paralleling the rst bar, body engaging fingers carried by the auxiliary bar, said auxiliary bar extending at one end beyond an end of the first bar, and mechanism connected with the auxiliary bar and reciprocating the same simultaneously with and in the same direction as the first bar and moving the same to a different extent from the rst bar.

4. In a machine of the character described,

including a table, a nger carrying bar mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the table, a rocking arm and a coupling between the rocking arm and the nger bar; an auxiliary bar mounted for longitudinal movement in a path paralleling the rst bar, body engaging iingers carried by the auxiliary bar, a second rocking arm, a link coupling the auxiliary bar with the second rocking arm and having longitudinally adjustable connection therewith, a link bar pivotally attached at one end to one of said arms, the other of the arms having a slot longitudinally therein, and a securing element pivotally connecting the other end of the last mentioned link bar with the slotted bar and engaging in the slot thereof for facilitating the changing Of the throw of the slotted arm.

5. In a machine of the character described, including a table, a. material engaging finger carrying bar mounted for longitudinal movement longitudinally of the table and mechanism connected with the bar to give the same a forward and backward movement; an auxiliary bar mounted for longitudinal movement in a parallel path with the first bar, a material engaging finger carried by the auxiliary bar, and mechanism coupling the auxiliary bar with the first bar operating means and acting to move the bar simultaneously and to move the auxiliary bar at a slower speed than the first bar whereby the ngers of the two bars when moving forwardly will move apart and will move together when the bars are moving rearwardly.

SALVATORE BIAZZI. 

